Mary Hunt makes some fantastic points in her reflection on the resignation announcement of Pope Benedict XVI. First, conscience is important for all Catholics: Conscience, Benedict reminds us today, is still primary for Catholics. Examination of conscience: that is just the formula millions of us use to explain why we use birth control, enjoy our [Read More...]

Ms. Magazine offered this round-up of suggestions if you want to mark Valentine’s Day with feminist activism: As a feminist, how about joining a political campaign in honor of Valentine’s Day? Saint Valentine was arrested for marrying couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II, so what better way to honor the day than to continue [Read More...]

Whenever someone claims to be talking about biblical values, they’re likely just telling you about their own personal values. But the truth about what the bible does and doesn’t talk about is often inconvenient for the anti-choice crowd. Here’s what Rev. Matthew Westfox said last week: “Choice” is not often thought of as a biblical [Read More...]

One of the many great things about participating in the Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute at The Center for American Progress this past year has been learning about organizations doing essential work for justice that I didn’t even know existed. One of them, Law Students for Reproductive Justice, invited me to speak on a [Read More...]

For the past year I have been privileged to be part of the Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute at The Center for American Progress. I wrote more about our shared work and activities previously, and shared some of the interview that Sally Steenland did with me as part of that work here. Now, I [Read More...]

In so many ways, 2012 was a year of setbacks for women’s reproductive health. Katie over at Feministing puts it plainly: “The Guttmacher Institute is reporting that 2012 saw the second highest number of abortion restrictions (43 in 19 states) ever. The scary thing is that this is better than 2011, when a record-breaking 92 abortion restrictions were [Read More...]

Just because this is quite possibly the best summary of the mad mad mad mad crazy election year and its results, I am sharing Rachel Maddow’s commentary from the day after. It’s old news now, surely you have seen it (what? You haven’t? Stop what you’re doing right now and sit down and watch this!) [Read More...]

I first heard of Beverly Wildung Harrison when I was a graduate student in theology and discovered her landmark book Our Right to Choose: Toward a New Ethic of Abortion (Beacon, 1983) while studying feminist ethics. It was already more than ten years old then, and it’s nearly thirty years old now as we move [Read More...]

Earlier this week I wrote about and shared the video of the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, on The Daily Show promoting his new book God Believes in Love. Earlier this fall, I wrote about the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, Thomas Paprocki, and his charged political [Read More...]

Sally Steenland, Director of the Faith & Progressive Policy Initiative at the Center for American Progress, interviewed me recently as part of our work on Faith & Reproductive Justice this year. The transcript, as well as the audio podcast, are available on the CAP website. Here is a sample: SS: Let me ask you another [Read More...]